A group of masked, back-clad, alt-left Antifa extremists attempted to shut down a speech by Tory leadership favourite Jacob Rees-Mogg in a confrontation that escalated into violence.

Mr Rees-Mogg, a leading favourite to succeed current Conservative party Prime Minister Theresa May according to many bookmakers, was set to give a speech at the University of West England in Bristol. The speech was interrupted by Antifa extremists — identified as Labour Party campaigners — who shouted down the Tory MP and attempted to engage in violence.

Unlike many others in the same position, Mr Rees-Mogg decided to leave the front of the room and walk up to the extremists and confront them directly. The footage from the incident, taken by Breitbart News reporter Ben Kew who attended the event, shows how the situation soon rose to violence.

Mr Kew, who was only feet away from the incident, reports: “It was textbook Antifa. They stormed into the event screaming and shouting, before using physical violence. Mr Rees-Mogg did his best to calm the situation, but the protesters could not be reasoned with.”

Kew said that shortly after the video security were called and they escorted the alt-left extremists from the building.

The incident is not the first time Rees-Mogg has been confronted by far-left activists and stood his ground. In October the MP for North East Somerset was given praise by many for his polite demeanour as he was being berated by an aggressive activist outside the Tory party conference.

Rees-Mogg is well-known across the UK for his staunch pro-Brexit stance and has not been afraid to clash with the Tory government over Brexit negotiations.

Earlier this week Rees-Mogg commented on the negotiations saying, “I think the government would be quite wrong to kowtow to the demands set out on Monday by the European Union.” His comments came shortly after Trade Secretary Liam Fox told Eurosceptics they would have to “live with disappointment” and accept “soft Brexit.”

Follow Chris Tomlinson on Twitter at @TomlinsonCJ or email at ctomlinson(at)breitbart.com

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